Making Waves at Junior Olympics!
From Coach Brad:
Heading into this meet, I said to everyone that we had the opportunity to be the best team at this meet – the best team being the one that is the most supportive, the tightest-knit group, the one where every swimmer is transcending their own personal limits to achieve more as a team than they are capable of as individuals. I think it is safe to say that we accomplished this goal at the Junior Olympics meet.
Our team swam incredibly well in every group, resulting in our team earning the “Most Improved Team” Award for the meet! A big congratulations goes out to each and every swimmer who competed! A big thank you as well goes to all of the families who came out to support our team throughout the weekend.
The Senior Elite group had a phenomenal swim meet. The group swam lights out throughout the weekend, recording almost 70% best times from the preliminary sessions. The Elite group swimmers who earned spots in finals were an amazing 90% best times in finals! And that is with many of those swims having been best times in prelims first! I am extremely proud of the great efforts that the Elite group swimmers turned in this past weekend.
Highlights from our weekend include:
A double event champion – David Van Buskirk – who won the boys 100 and 200 breaststrokes!
David also finished 4th in the 400 IM, 6th in the 200 IM, and would have qualified 6th in the 400 freestyle. David had a great meet, earning 7 new best times over the weekend.
Our other top finalist was Coty Norton, who placed 2nd in the 200 IM and the 400 IM, 4th in the 400 freestyle, 5th in the 200 freestyle, and 6th in the 100 butterfly.
Other swimmers who scored points were:
Ari Sweany who placed 5th in the 1500 and 7th in the 800 freestyles
Abby Mitchell who placed 6th in the 400 IM and 6th in the 800 freestyle
Swimmers also turning in outstanding performances:
Gabby Harvey who went 8 best times in 7 events (she earned a best time in the 800 freestyle as a split from her 1500 free!)
Abby Mitchell who earned 6 new best times
Leah Johnson who swam to 6 new best times as well
Lauren Chun who swam 5 new best times
Taji Jennings who earned 5 new best times
Alyssa Bunting who earned 4 new best times
From Coach Wedaman:
This is what Silver 1 has been training for this year. To have a meet like this past weekend.
3 New Far Western Qualifiers – Alex Harris, Genna Lammon, Skyler Carmelich
1 new individual Team Record – Tim Lee 13 -14 boys 50 Free
5 new team relay records, for the 13 -14 year olds
75 % Personal Best Times
8 swimmers scoring points
Swimmers Scoring Points:
Lukas Bechtel 6th 15-18 1500 Free
Sierra Carmelich 8th 13-14 200 Backstroke
Skyler Carmelich 11-12, 5th 50 and 100 free, 6th 50 Breast, 7th 50 Back and 100 Breast, 8th 200 Breast
Alex Harris 11 -12, 5th 50 Back, 7th 800 Free, 8th 100 Back
Genna Lammon 11-12, 3rd 50 Fly, 5th 100 Back, 6th 50 Back
Tim Lee 13-14, 1st 50 Free, 2nd 100 Back
Jalen Lloyd 13 -14, 5th 200 Breast
Abby Mitchell 13 -14, 200 Breast
From Coach Megan:
The Black and Red Groups did fantastic at JO’s! There were a lot of fast swims and everyone had a lot of fun! It was great to see so many swimmers at the meet!
The 8 and under swimmers did a fantastic job at the meet! Johanna Cheek received an A time in her 50 back! Arliton Cabanero had great swims and best times all weekend!
There 10 and Under Girls did fantastic over the weekend and had two relays on Saturday and Sunday. All the girls swim fantastic and the A 200 Free Relay team of Julia Miles, Rachel Lin, Camielle Arca and Emma Gioia placed 8th! There were new best times had by all the girls and some fantastic swims! Congratulations to Camille Arca, Alyssa Carnahan, Emma Gioia, Rachel Lin, Falin McCord, Julia Miles, Emily Mueller, and Emma Guinan.
The 11-12 girls did an amazing job at the meet! Salome Carmelich had new best times in her backstroke events and Sophia Chun had new best times in her 400 free and 200 IM.
From Coach Grace:
At JOs I had two swimmers go. Neil Schafer was a relay only swimmer, but swam in four relays this past weekend. In one of the four relays he helped two senior elite swimmers and one silver 1 swimmer set a new team record in the boys 15-18 200 Medley Relay. Although he did not have to attend the meet, he took the time out of his weekend to help the team. That takes real dedication! I'm so proud of him for representing our team and performing so well. Olivia Earwood swam in relays as well as swimming in three events this past weekend. She too, also set a new team record along with three senior elite girls in the 15-18 200 freestyle relay. In all the events she swam this past weekend, she went best times, which is awesome! These two swimmers have been working so hard in practice and understand that if they 110% in every set they will continue to receive new best times and keep improving. I'm very happy with the results of this past weekend and I would like to see more swimmers at JOs next season. Go Waves!
